Callum McLaughlin's Blog, page 85

Gems from the Past

‘Legend’ is still my guilty pleasure.

We all seem to have certain stories that stick with us throughout our lives; the ones that defined the era of our childhood. Though I remember (and still have) several storybooks my mum read to me as a youngster, one of the first ‘proper’ books I remember reading and enjoying by myself once I was old enough to choose my own books was Huntress of the Sea by Alan Temperley. I can still recall how excited the story made me and to this day own the battered paperback copy I was lucky enough to get signed by the author himself when I met him at a literary festival.

In terms of movies, I was obsessed with Legend (directed by Ridley Scott) as a child. A hero, a princess, goblins, elves, dwarves, unicorns and one of the best cinematic portrayals of the Devil I’ve ever seen; what’s not to love? It holds such a soft spot in my heart and no film will ever be able to make me feel as nostalgic as this one. One of the greatest things I have to thank the film for is my continued love of dark fantasy and I don’t doubt it (and other examples of film and literature that I enjoyed as a child) helped shape my interests now.

What books and movies remind you of your past? Do you think they informed your taste in fiction now?

Revelation

I see your smile in the summer sun,

I hear your laugh in the gentle breeze.

I feel your love encasing my heart

as your life lives on in me.

They took the sparkle from your eyes

and scattered it amongst the stars,

the tears we cried have gathered

in the long and winding streams.

But the fog has cleared and so behold

the truth in all its beauty:

You did not leave us, not at all,

if only we had known,

though your body may be gone,

it is us who kept the man.

Lucky Number Seven

Lucky 7 Tag

I was kindly tagged by Harliqueen to take part in Lucky 7. It’s a fun blogging exercise to help writers get snippets of their work out there and I haven’t done anything like this before so I thought I should give it a go. I’m sure any writer can relate to the fear of putting stuff out there before we’ve had time to tirelessly tweak and polish it but I’m all for trying new things. The guidelines are as follows:

 

• Go to page 7 (or 77) of your current WIP.

• Scan down to line 7.

• Post the next 7 lines or sentences on your blog.

• Tag 7 people to carry on the challenge.

So, without further ado, here is a tiny snapshot from my WIP, False Awakening, in all the glamour you’d expect from an unedited first draft.

–

“I think…” Abi paused as she gasped for more air. “I think I remembered something.”

Before either of her friends could speak, two police officers in full uniform walked in through the open doorway.

“What are you two doing in here?” asked one of them. Male, tall and inherently intimidating; his ice-cold eyes moved from Dan to Luke as he swept into the room like a cool breeze. “We specifically told you not to speak with the victim until we had questioned her.”

The word victim made Abi’s stomach squirm again.

–

Ooooh, mysterious! ;)

I’ve seen quite a lot of the bloggers I follow tagging and posting with regards to this challenge, so for the sake of avoiding repeat tags; in the spirit of wanting to include everyone and perhaps through just a little dash of laziness, I’m going to say that if you are reading this and have a WIP you’d like to share with us, I hereby tag you to take part. I’m always intrigued to find out what everyone else is up to! Thanks for reading and I hope to see your Lucky 7 soon.

A Good Idea

callummclaughlin:

A lot of people ask how they can support their writer friends. The good news is, it’s really rather simple!

Originally posted on Bookin' It:

So, So Important!

Saw this on Twitter yesterday with a request to share, so…I’m sharin’! Lots of people honestly don’t know how important some of these things can be to an author, especially an independent one, who depends on word of mouth so completely. Hope you’ll pass it along, too. Let’s get the word out (in the nicest way possible, of course.) Folks…if you read it, and you love it, please let the world know. Thanks!

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Bloodline

My heart still echoes with the footsteps,

a misfired love trapped within the void.

They say that blood is thicker than water

but what of a blood that is laced with poison?

You hollowed my soul; I severed the ties.

I bid you farewell and beg you bid me to be free.

Writing Process Blog Tour

I was kindly invited recently by Taylor Grace to take part in a Writing Process Blog Tour (my first, actually). I think it’s a lovely idea and a great way to get lots of writers interacting and sharing their thoughts and inspirations. As I understand them, the rules require you to link back to the blog that put you forward for the tour, answer the four questions and then select three fellow bloggers to take the mantle.

So, here we go:

1. Why do I write what I do?

Most of the fiction I write would be classed in the thriller genre, which is one of my personal favourites. I love the excitement of that particular field but like that it also leaves you open to the possibility of exploring other areas by introducing sub-genres within the plot. The buzz of potential danger leaps off the page; it’s akin to why many of us endure the stress of a tense film or a terrifying rollercoaster, as we secretly crave the adrenaline rush. I’d be a fraud if I didn’t try and write something that I would enjoy reading, so I suppose that mix of intrigue and drama is the feel I mainly go for.

The poetry I write for my blog I write predominantly to get things out of my head, and I think poems are a brilliant way of practising the art of saying what you have to say in fewer words while also embedding imagery within your work. Maybe one day I’ll think about compiling them into something a little more formal.

2. How does my writing process work?

I always start with a simple idea and if I feel excited about it, I’ll jot it down and see how much I can flesh it out. The scribbles that seem to hold the most promise will be given arms and legs during the planning stage and then it’s a case of actually delving into the story itself. Characters, relationships and sub-plots are often deepened as and when I write but I like to have all the major plot-points mapped out before I start and I always seem to have my ending scene clearly envisioned before I write so much as a word of a first draft, no matter how big or small the project may be. I think it’s good to know where you’re starting from and where you need to get to; the fun of working out all that comes in between is why I love writing.

3. How does my work differ from others in its genre?

I can’t really speak on behalf of other writers or their work so I suppose all I can say is that I hope my writing style will always feel approachable. Demonstrating skill and technique is fantastic but I think storytelling should always be the driving force and that’s definitely where I try and keep my focus.

4. What am I working on at the moment?

I’m currently working on the first draft for what I’m certain will be the second book I actually go on to publish, tentatively titled False Awakening. I’m about three quarters of the way through I would say, so I’m very excited about it. Then of course I get to worry about editing it all (which is marginally less exciting) but I already have a rough plan for two other projects I know I will write after I finish this one; it’s just a case of deciding which is the most enticing and demands to be written first.

–

There you have it; I hope you enjoyed my answers. As for my successors in the tour, I would like to nominate:

• Melissa Barker-Simpson

• Jacqueline E. Smith

• S.R. Carrillo

Big thanks again to Taylor for including me in the tour, I really enjoyed it and hope to do more in the future. I’d also like to quickly take this chance to thank Head Games, a favourite blog of mine, for nominating me for the Not Freshly Pressed Award; it’s always lovely to get a nod from fellow bloggers and it was much appreciated. Thanks for reading.

Corruption

Like black ink seeping through crystal waters

in search of untainted innocence,

lurching roots in the core of the earth

that refuse to relent their hold,

hands that squeeze the air from lungs

and toy with frivolous emotions.

I’m drowning in an ocean of you,

this death a state of bliss,

the sweetest of corruptions.

Is It In Our Blood?

Where do we get our passion for the things we love?

Quite often, people will say that their career is not merely a means to pay the bills but a way of life; even going as far as to say that it’s in their blood. It’s also true that you will often see people following in the footsteps of their parents and older siblings. Families of Doctors; generations of bakers; a lineage of musicians; it’s almost as though it’s hereditary.

My uncle is a writer who has seen a lot of success, with many original plays and dozens of adaptations touring both on stage and via radio (no pressure, huh?). I found this alone to be interesting and thought it perhaps even added a nugget of truth to the debate that our job is often destined to us based on our bloodline. Recently however, I was chatting with my mum about writing and she ended up bringing me two old journals, full to the brim with her handwritten scribbles. There were poems, stories, musings and song lyrics; none of which I had ever known anything about until that point. She had never done anything to take the endeavour further, seeing it more as a useful pastime than a potential career but I loved finding out that she too had once had a love for writing.

Overall I imagine most people who take after their family when it comes to their career do so because passion is infectious, and growing up around someone who genuinely loves what they do can have a huge influence. I know books and stories were always a big part of my childhood and don’t doubt this has played a significant role in my desired path. But who knows, maybe there’s more to the idea of our job being in our blood than I first thought.

Do your loved ones share your passion for writing to any extent? Were reading and writing important parts of your experience growing up?

Burning Bridges

Spreading word bombs wherever you go,

sowing those seeds to give life to their woe.

Dancing in the ashes you leave in your wake,

gifting nothing but sorrow for all that you take.

Smiling as lives go tumbling down,

but burn too many bridges and you just might drown.

Equality in Fiction

A small selection of a few of my favourite fictional women. Chloe O’Brian, Ellen Ripley, Hermione Granger, Beverly Katz, Éowyn and Michonne; all very different but equally strong in their own right.

I won’t name names, because I’m wary of spoilers, but one of my favourite characters was recently killed off on a TV show I love. This character was a woman and though at the time, the issue of sexism did not once enter my mind, I later found out that there had been some considerable buzz online when the episode first aired, so much so in fact that the actress who played the character waded into the debate herself in defence of the show’s writer.

I’m not sure I can be called a feminist, given that I am male, but I am absolutely an advocate of equality for women both in the real world and within the realms of fiction. This particular character was popular and clearly the show wanted us to feel sadness and anger at her death; that is why she was killed. This character had knowledge that made her a threat to the antagonist; that is why she was killed. This character existed within a show that had its protagonists constantly under threat; that is why she was killed. She was, in my opinion, certainly not killed simply because she was a woman.

I love a good heroine, perhaps even more so than their male counterparts because they do, after all, have many more stereotypes to overcome, making them all the more empowering and enigmatic when they do lead the way. Surely the point about equality means however that we must take the bad with the good and accept that female characters are also at risk of getting the chop? If a popular male character had been killed off of the same show, there would no doubt have been a similar outpouring of grief from the fans but likely no suggestion that the decision had been made because of his gender. If anything it was testament to her likeability that she was killed.

This kind of reverse sexism is fascinating and somewhat disappointing to me, because I feel we live in a time where female characters receive more attention and equality than ever before and pointing the finger where it need not be is a real shame. There are still improvements to be made but making female characters untouchable because of their gender is not equality and will get us nowhere in the long run. We need to see them represented realistically, warts and all, and if that means some of our favourites must pay the ultimate price, so be it.

What female characters do you love? Do you feel women are treated more equally in fiction now than in the past?